was tempted to turn the truck around and go back to let her know how wrong he’d been to let things get to the point he had.
“You keep this truck pointed in this direction if you know what’s best,” he reprimanded himself as he slowed the truck to a stop. For a moment, he stared at the open gravel road ahead of him. As much as he was tempted to correct her misguided judgments of him, he was more afraid that he might just prove them right if he was near her another minute longer. “Okay, then do what’s best for her.” He pressed down on the accelerator, his thoughts in more turmoil than the stormy-looking sky.
Little else took precedence in his mind the rest of that day or the following week for that matter. He decided distance would quell the hormones raging through his body, and they should be kept as far from Tess as possible. With each passing day, he managed to convince himself that it was best for both of them. He honestly didn’t see a woman like her lasting for very long on the farm or be satisfied with small town living much longer. But to be neighborly and keep things friendly, he’d called her to let her know of his plans.
“Uh, Tess, I’m afraid Merle will need me here for a few days.” It sounded weak, even to him. “So I won’t be heading out your way for awhile.” Why not just tell her that whatever happened the other day was a fluke, a mistake, nothing more and le’s just be friends.
“I understand.” There was a pause. “This has nothing to do with the other day, does it?”
Tell her now. Come clean and tell her what you think, how you feel. She deserves to know how you don’t want to risk anything permanent, because life, especially involving things you love, is never permanent.
“No, ‘course not.” It was a boldface lie and it made him realize that he needed to back off and gain perspective. It also served as a healthy dose of guilt, which didn’t help his already uncertain feelings. He had to remind himself this woman would most likely hightail like a scared jackrabbit back to her city apartment one of these days.
Meantime, he’d be wise to keep his distance. Travis and his family going on a camping trip was the perfect excuse for Merle to need the extra help in the shop. He tried not to hear the curiosity in her casual reply.
“Well, whenever you’re ready, its fine. The repairs will still be here.”
He ended the conversation, replacing the receiver to the wall phone, wondering if he’d already succeeded in creating irreparable damage between them.
* * *
Gabe eyed the muffler, wondering if he could replace part of the pipe or have to tell its owner they’d need a new one. He hoped it was replaceable because he had no desire to speak one-on-one with the car’s owner.
“Gaaabe?”
The singsong voice echoed in Merle’s garage and he closed his eyes. Damn. Did widow Crane have radar where he was concerned?
“Did you find out my little problem?”
That would take a psychology degree, lady. He turned his head and closed his eyes wishing Merle had not chosen to go to Velda’s for lunch. Maybe if he was quiet, she’d think no one was around.
“Gabe?” Her voice deepened, just a little more insistent.
He turned his head to the side and came face-to-face with Mrs. Crane. She was on her knees with her cheek nearly flush to the floor. Her smile indicated how thrilled she was to have found him.
He guessed the fact he was alone was an added bonus.
“Ms. Crane, sorry didn’t hear you come in.” He lied with a cheerful smile. There were not many things in his life he had a healthy fear of, but this woman reminded him of a female praying mantis.
He scooted out from under the car and scrambled to his feet.
She straightened with the practiced ease of a ballerina and brushed off her skin-tight Capri pants. The crop top she wore was a fashion more suited toward a teenager, but Ms. Crane pulled it off quite nicely.
Gabe averted his eyes from her flat
“You keep this truck pointed in this direction if you know what’s best,” he reprimanded himself as he slowed the truck to a stop. For a moment, he stared at the open gravel road ahead of him. As much as he was tempted to correct her misguided judgments of him, he was more afraid that he might just prove them right if he was near her another minute longer. “Okay, then do what’s best for her.” He pressed down on the accelerator, his thoughts in more turmoil than the stormy-looking sky.
Little else took precedence in his mind the rest of that day or the following week for that matter. He decided distance would quell the hormones raging through his body, and they should be kept as far from Tess as possible. With each passing day, he managed to convince himself that it was best for both of them. He honestly didn’t see a woman like her lasting for very long on the farm or be satisfied with small town living much longer. But to be neighborly and keep things friendly, he’d called her to let her know of his plans.
“Uh, Tess, I’m afraid Merle will need me here for a few days.” It sounded weak, even to him. “So I won’t be heading out your way for awhile.” Why not just tell her that whatever happened the other day was a fluke, a mistake, nothing more and le’s just be friends.
“I understand.” There was a pause. “This has nothing to do with the other day, does it?”
Tell her now. Come clean and tell her what you think, how you feel. She deserves to know how you don’t want to risk anything permanent, because life, especially involving things you love, is never permanent.
“No, ‘course not.” It was a boldface lie and it made him realize that he needed to back off and gain perspective. It also served as a healthy dose of guilt, which didn’t help his already uncertain feelings. He had to remind himself this woman would most likely hightail like a scared jackrabbit back to her city apartment one of these days.
Meantime, he’d be wise to keep his distance. Travis and his family going on a camping trip was the perfect excuse for Merle to need the extra help in the shop. He tried not to hear the curiosity in her casual reply.
“Well, whenever you’re ready, its fine. The repairs will still be here.”
He ended the conversation, replacing the receiver to the wall phone, wondering if he’d already succeeded in creating irreparable damage between them.
* * *
Gabe eyed the muffler, wondering if he could replace part of the pipe or have to tell its owner they’d need a new one. He hoped it was replaceable because he had no desire to speak one-on-one with the car’s owner.
“Gaaabe?”
The singsong voice echoed in Merle’s garage and he closed his eyes. Damn. Did widow Crane have radar where he was concerned?
“Did you find out my little problem?”
That would take a psychology degree, lady. He turned his head and closed his eyes wishing Merle had not chosen to go to Velda’s for lunch. Maybe if he was quiet, she’d think no one was around.
“Gabe?” Her voice deepened, just a little more insistent.
He turned his head to the side and came face-to-face with Mrs. Crane. She was on her knees with her cheek nearly flush to the floor. Her smile indicated how thrilled she was to have found him.
He guessed the fact he was alone was an added bonus.
“Ms. Crane, sorry didn’t hear you come in.” He lied with a cheerful smile. There were not many things in his life he had a healthy fear of, but this woman reminded him of a female praying mantis.
He scooted out from under the car and scrambled to his feet.
She straightened with the practiced ease of a ballerina and brushed off her skin-tight Capri pants. The crop top she wore was a fashion more suited toward a teenager, but Ms. Crane pulled it off quite nicely.
Gabe averted his eyes from her flat
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